Unfiltered Review: Waterfall Trek & Jungle Adventure

Alright, let’s get straight to it. You’re scoping out the ‘Waterfall Trek Jungle Safari Zipline Mudpool Hotspring Tour,’ and you wanna know if it’s worth your precious vacation time and hard-earned cash. Very understandable! I get that. This isn’t some fluffy advertisement, it’s just a real person giving you the lowdown. That’s very much my goal here, I hope, as I walked, slipped, and zipped my way through this very popular offering. That said, my experiences, good and less so, will hopefully offer you insight for whatever jungle journey you may go on!

What’s the Vibe of the Jungle Trek?

The trek? Well, to be totally honest, parts of it do get a bit real. Almost like, ‘Am I actually lost?’ real. Arguably, not really *lost*, but definitely in that, ‘Okay, nature, I respect you now,’ sort of place. It isn’t the perfectly manicured path you might sometimes expect from very tourist-aimed stuff. We tromped, and that, you might, experience something similar. The trees are dense, everything’s pretty green and teeming with sound; very much alive with it, actually. If, like your’s truly, you get easily distracted by cool-looking bugs and the calls of birds you can’t identify, it will for sure take a while. The guides know what’s what, as a matter of fact, and are great for pointing stuff out. So, you know, listen to them… unlike me.

Keep in mind, that it might rain. A lot! Usually! Which, while really making things feel appropriately jungle-y, can also mean things get quite slippery. A little. Good shoes are not only appreciated here, at the end of the day, they’re basically necessary. Honestly, if you thought that the “gym shoes” in the back of your closet would do, please, go get something grippy. You’ll like your ankles way better afterward, seriously. Seriously!

Ziplining: Is It Worth the Hype?

Okay, ziplining. This might very well be the highlight for many. As it should be! Usually. Soaring across the canopy, suspended by only a wire and your own bravery? Totally. Though, I feel it’s almost my obligation to tell you that there’s a bit of a walk uphill between some platforms. Nothing intense, arguably, but in the humidity it does kind of get your heart pumping even before you are dangling hundreds of feet over solid earth. Also know, your position matters! Honestly! The guides are quick to tell you that in case you forgot grade-school science: go faster on an incline to reach the end.

Is that feeling scary? Of course, honestly, that could be a factor to consider. At the end of the day it might be slightly unnerving, particularly when you are getting strapped in for the very first run. If, unlike me, you haven’t previously done that, like your brain and body might give you pause. At the end of the day that said, once you push off, so like, whee! A tiny little bit terrifying? Oh, without a doubt. Is that fun, definitely that could be a factor. As a matter of fact, flying across the treetops more or less? Absolutely. Just… pay attention during the safety briefing, seriously. Really.

Mudpool Mania: A Spa Day in the Wild?

The mudpool! It can be described more or less like this: If you ever considered “I should take a bunch of dirt and slather it all over my skin,” well then this, literally, could be for you. Kind of. At the end of the day know this about the mud…it’s muddy, really. Actually, it might come across a bit gritty, almost, as you scoop handfuls of this goo. Rub it all over and let it bake in the sun for about fifteen minutes until you start feeling, you know, very appropriately primal, seriously. It felt amazing, as a matter of fact, though admittedly kind of odd, at the start. You know?

Next part? Equally as unique. Washing off in the very cold river, so literally, so invigorating! As it might be. Usually. And you get an oh-so-lovely smooth feeling afterward. So too it’s almost like nature’s own exfoliator… or at least that is what you keep on repeating in order to not wonder too much at how much filth you covered yourself with, right before swimming in a stream full of cute river fish.

Hot Springs Relaxation: Bliss or Bust?

At the end of the tour the very hot springs can be more or less an interesting change of pace from the preceding activities. So that can almost give you a chance to very gently soothe all of your very sore muscles. If any! Kind of. It gets a bit busy there though. Seriously! This, potentially, is a pretty loved tourist destination. It can sometimes get that feel a little bit like “human soup.” Arguably. If you arrive during an off-peak period that feeling would obviously be considerably less prevalent, definitely. As a matter of fact.

Don’t plan on intense meditation; as a matter of fact there likely would be the happy screams and splashes from everybody there. Seriously. Do consider taking a moment for a beat and taking the water soothing aches. Just remember, very often, that those idyllic photos where there aren’t any people exist because the photographers get there super very early… or perhaps photoshopped everybody all out, actually!

The Waterfalls: The Star of the Show?

Arguably, this attraction earns the tour’s billing…at the end of the day if there are not nice, scenic, cascades, that makes the entire tour into ‘Trek and Mud’ only, obviously. Kinda boring! Like the tour I took it offered an opportunity to both see it coming from a bit of a distance, at the end of the day from some observation area, before eventually bringing you right up to that, if it is safe. You know? I honestly had an extremely hard time balancing my desire to actually just soak up how neat it really looks… as opposed to worrying about my precious, new, phone to take pics. Kind of a millennial issue, you know, to be really frank. So, take that photo or that moment…or both, if possible.

Usually that’s almost really refreshing and definitely helps provide great moments of appreciation during all that walking and mud-wallowing that happens during. Honestly! It is pretty good, seriously.